Moments
by SilverCrystal029
Summary: Serial-based drabbles about Olivia and Elliot. Set around the time Kathy leaves and onward
1. Tired

Olivia shrugged her jacket on as she headed to end her shift. She stopped when she saw Elliot hunched over his computer, the same wrinkled suit on he'd been wearing for two days. A little girl had gone missing and all they'd found was her body.

"El-" Olivia began against better judgement. All she got was a caveman like grunt. "It's late. I know your brain is fried because mine is. There's nothing you can do right now that you can't in the morning." She pleaded, tired. Elliot shook his head slightly.

"That little girl is lying in the morgue-"

"Elliot, go home." He shook his head no.

"Can't do that." He grunted never looking from his screen. With an exasperated sigh, Olivia slinked out of her peacoat. She took a seat across from Elliot and turned her computer on. He stopped what he was doing and looked at her, realizing how tired she and everyone else looked too.

"We can't both be sleep deprived. Go get some sleep, Olivia." He barked, ignoring the fact that the real reason he didn't want to go was because there was no kids or Kathy there.

Olivia smiled tiredly. "Sorry, can't do that." It was then he realized how patient of a partner he had.


	2. Interrogation

"Listen here." Elliot growled at Olivia, steely eyes burning through her. Their female suspect just watched in the interrogation room, confused by their dynamic.

"I am sick of feminazis like you," he pointed at her. "And you!" He pointed at the suspect. "Ganging up on good, strong, men like me!" He raised a hand toward Olivia and she slapped him. The suspect stared.

He grabbed her arm and yanked her toward him, spit dribbling down his chin. "You get your freaking hands off of me." Olivia seethed. She wrenched free and Elliot stalked past her, out the door and slamming it behind it.

The interrogation room was silent before the suspect spoke. "You... Really stuck up to him." She said after a long moment. Olivia raked a hand through her hair.

"Just like you did," she responded breathlessly. "To all those Johns?"

Elliot and Cragen watched from the window, both smirking. "You guys are spooky good at being dysfunctional. I almost went in there." Cragen commented. Elliot grunted.

"I hate being the asshole, though." Said Elliot. "Now I'm buying dinner tonight."


	3. Black Eye

Finn tossed the perp into lock up with a scowl. "You'll have a lot of time in here to sit and think about what you've done." He shut the cage with a clank, the disheveled prisoner grabbing onto the bars.

"Did-Did you see?! What he did! I'm gonna have a black eye! I want to press charges!" He screamed out, his eye almost swelled shut.

"Nope. I didn't." Said Finn before walking off to do something else. Elliot ignored the scene, shuffling through pages on his desk.

"Stabler. A word!" Elliot looked up to see Cragen glowering at him. He had been expecting it, though.

"Captain." He grumbled, avoiding the older man's eyes.

"How did that perp over there receive a black eye?" Elliot quickly glanced over at lockup.

"I believe he hit his face on the squad car, sir." Cragen crossed his arms.

"The same perp who gave Olivia a shiner? Just so happened to bump his head on the car." Elliot stared past Cragen where he saw Munch holding a bag of ice to Olivia's face, all while laughing.

"I believe so, Captain." Cragen followed his line of sight.

"Watch it." Was all he said before walking away.


	4. Bars

"The military? What? Really?" Elliot chuckled, a bit drunkenly in the dim lit, dirty bar. He wouldn't call it a silver lining but no wife and kids at home meant he could have an after overtime drink with his partner and best friend.

Olivia's cheeks were rosy, the drinks were going straight to her head. It was hard for her to let loose and have a few since her mom was an alcoholic but with Elliot, she felt like she could do anything.

"You don't think I'm tough enough for the military?!" Elliot made a face and knocked another murky shot down.

"Oh, I know you are. I just thought you hated all things military." Olivia smiled into her glass, swirling her straw around in a circle.

"I do. But I think I hated my mom more. Anyways, I'm glad I didn't end up in the army just to piss my mom off." She took another generous swig of her drink. Elliot watched her carefully, his stare hungry. Against better judgement he reached out for her soft, manicured hand.

She jerked back as if he were hot to the touch, her drink sloshing on to the bar. "I'm sorry-" she breathed, Elliot straightening up in the stool.

"Olivia, wait-"

"I'm gonna go hail us a cab to your apartment and then mine, we have to work tomorrow morning." Her ears burning, she left some cash on the table and walked quickly towards the door.


	5. Parents

"I just can't understand it. As a parent, knowing your child's brain dead and keeping them on the machinery..." Olivia raked a her hand through chestnut hair.

"You're not a mother so you can't understand." Elliot regretted the statement as soon as it flew out of his mouth. Motherhood was a complicated topic for his partner. Olivia chuckled ruefully.

"Oh I can't understand-"

"You know when I say that, I say it with experience and because I want to protect you. No words compare to how unique and at times difficult parenting is, Olivia." She crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him as he moved about the squadroom.

"You know what I wish you'd understand? That you don't have to protect me because you're not my father and I didn't really need mine all my life, did I?" She threw a stack of folders on Elliot's desk and stalked out of the precinct.

Elliot started after her but Finn blocked his way. He shook his head and Elliot prepared to move around him.

"Don't." Fin said. "Let her go." Elliot exhaled before turning around and walking back to his desk.


	6. Sleep

"Do you have anything to say for yourselves?" Cragen's voice boomed through the precinct. Olivia and Elliot stared at the ground, like two siblings being reprimanded.

"Captain-" Olivia, began, the bags under her eyes a mile long.

"Don't speak unless you're taking the blame. We had him and you let him get away. What if we end up with another body tonight? Tomorrow?" Olivia nodded. The truth of it was she hadn't been able to sleep. Not since she went undercover as a prisoner.

Her focus was nonexistent, she just wasn't sure how to say it. "It's my fault." Elliot cut in, knowing all too well what Olivia was dealing with. "I pulled Olivia with me down a dead end, I got confused."

"I hope you two will get as dedicated to this case as you are to covering up for each other." He blew past them both.

"El-"

"Pay me back by going and getting some shut eye." He sent her a look that left little room for discussion.


	7. Quitting

"I quit." He breathed, adreneline causing his limbs to tremble. He had abandoned his gun and shield on his desk. Cragen and the rest of the precinct stared, knowing way better than to interfere with Elliot right now.

Olivia jumped to her feet, feeling dozens of pairs of eyes burning a hole through her.

"Elliot-" She cried. He ignored her, rushing to the cribs. "Elliot wait!" She reached out to him with her good arm, the other dangling in a sling.

"I can't do this." He snapped, turning nose to nose to face her. His breath rolled out hot on her face.

"Yes you can." She pleaded. All he could see was her laying limply in his arms.

"You are all I have." Olivia blinked, her breath suddenly short.

"And we," She said, swallowing emotion. "Are all these victims have." Elliot sniffed. He reached out for Olivia's face but thought better of it, walking past her into the squadroom.


	8. Go

Elliot just stared. His desk was litered with crime scene photos of children, bent, broken, and tortured. Many of which they had no way of finding and identifying. Elliot could feel his soul herniating. How long could he stare into the abyss and return from it?

"El." Finally his focus shifted to his partner, barely able to see her. "How long are you gonna stare at those pictures. We've been here for 36 hours." Elliot shook his head dumbly, his eyes falling to the pictures.

"We gotta find these kids..." Olivia sighed.

"Why don't I keep looking through these and you call your wife, see if you can see your kids. You look like you need it." He winced at her words, but she was right. 'It's not like anyone's waiting for me at home.' She thought, taking a seat.

Elliot stood hesitantly, catching the glowering look on her face for a second. "You sure?" He half grunted.

"I live for this." She said, her smile wavering.


	9. Sorry

Elliot hated being right. He had been giving Olivia a hard time about the new, sleazy, older man in her life. Half out of possessiveness and half because he could smell her type a mile away.

Olivia had tied up all her current paperwork and was taking some well deserved time off to enjoy herself. It had gone awry though. She returned two hours later with smeared makeup, dried tears, and a cocktail dress on.

She sat silently across from Elliot and opened a folder. He chewed on a pen and watched her, completely still.

"Olivia-"

"You were right." Elliot winced.

"I'm sorry." Their eyes met finally after hearing all they wanted to hear.


	10. Family

"Did you ever worry what your kids would be like?" The question startled Elliot, making him look up from his cold Lo Mein to Olivia's tired face. He noticed her chicken and broccoli sat untouched on her desk.

Without answering he picked up a slice of chicken and some broccoli with his chopsticks and held them toward Olivia with a grin. She rolled her eyes and stole them with her fork and grudgingly put them in her mouth. Satisfied, Elliot leaned back.

"Of course I did." He caught the pensive look on her face and cleared his throat. "You ever think you want kids, Liv?" The question made her cough on some of her rice.

"Sometimes. But it feels selfish." She curbed her words, looking down at her food.

"There's nothing selfish about having kids-"

"Isn't it? When you have no family?" He looked seriously into Olivia's olive skinned face. "And what you do know is you're predisposed to alcoholism or maybe even being a r-" Olivia cut herself off, her stare distant. Elliot sniffed.

"I don't know what it's like to deal with those things like you do," He answered, standing with his trash. "But a kid would be real lucky to turn out a little bit like you." He walked past her to the trash, placing a large hand on her shoulder.


	11. Pursuit

"Elliot," Her breathless pleas fell on deaf ears.His gun clacked wildly as as his hand shook, gun pointed at the child molester in front of them. "Elliot, it's over." He just breathed, his vision tunneling.

The terrified thirteen year old cowered behind Olivia, who's eye was starting to bruise and nose was bleeding. "Elliot."

 _"Who should I pop first?" He tormented in the large warehouse. Elliot and Olivia has split up but he had found Elliot's partner first. "I love 'em young but your partner is pretty sweet. Wish I found her 20 years ago."_

 _Elliot's eye twitched as he moved silently but quickly, following the perp's words. He jumped as he heard Olivia cry out in pain, a vein throbbing in his neck._

"Elliot, back up is on the way. It's over now. Put away your gun." Olivia begged. The muzzle of the gun remained on the suspect, who'd wet himself in front of Elliot.

Elliot cried out as Olivia forcefully moved him and disarmed his gun. "It's okay," She breathed. "I'm okay."


	12. Regrets

Olivia walked ahead of Elliot, seething. "His daughter was raped and he threatens to throw her out for getting an abortion?" She scoffed in disgust. "Tell me Elliot, what's the point of being religious if it drives someone to this?" He sighed, religion was always a loaded subject.

He took a quick second to think of how to respond. "I'm not saying I agree, at all. But... I understand the emotions he's feeling and doesn't understand. I hope he remembers his duty to that girl as her father." He could tell by Olivia's face the gloves weren't off yet.

"So, if-"

"No," He cut off, pulling her gently to face him. "Don't you bring my daughters into this. You know," He lowered his voice, noticing the eyes starting to watch them. "You know I will support my kids in whatever way I have to." He peered at her. She huffed and walked around him to her desk. Against better judgement he followed, sitting across from her.

"Liv, what's really eating you?" She sighed, avoiding his eyes by staring at her desk.

"Getting an abortion is just traumatizing enough without your family threatening to disown you." Elliot nodded, waiting for Olivia to say something else.

"I know that..." He said slowly.

"Maybe 4 months before Cragen dumped me as your partner..." Elliot rolled his eyes. "I was dating a guy. Since I was 18." Elliot nodded.

"How old was he?" Olivia chuckled.

"37." Elliot swallowed. "He was the love of my life."

"So what happened to him?" Olivia's gaze fell.

"He was like everything I wanted to project on my ideal father and everything I hated about my mother." Elliot exhaled through his nose.

"He was an alcoholic."

"Law professor. It got worse as he got older, a couple of beat officers showed up at our apartment. I made it go away, of course,"

"Because how would the force take you seriously?" Elliot finished.

"A few weeks before I became your partner I had a positive pregnancy test." He looked into Olivia's eyes shining with emotion. "Four days before I took the test he got his hands on my weapon. Threatened to blow his brains out."

"Olivia..." Elliot said, not sure what else to say.

"And even though I wanted nothing more than a family, a family who loved me-" He reached out and touched her trembling hand. "I couldn't..."

"Of course you couldn't." Elliot sighed. "Have you ever told anyone else?" Olivia grimaced and took a swig of some old coffee.

"My mom said it was the best decision I ever made." She said, her eyes staring through him.

"That's not-"

"Liv, Elliot. We got a call." Munch called from the hallway. Olivia wiped at her face.

"On it," Elliot barked. "You okay?" Olivia took a deep breath.

"I'm fine."


End file.
